Former England coach Duncan Fletcher claimed on Sunday that three of the heroes from the Ashes winning series of 2005 would find it hard to get back into the England side.

The Zimbabwe-born coach - whose eight year tenure as England coach came to an end in April 2007 after a disastrous World Cup campaign - told The Sunday Telegraph that he believed pacemen Steve Harmison, 29, and Matthew Hoggard, 31, had an uphill task to get back into the test side after being dropped during the recent series in New Zealand.

He added that all rounder Andrew Flintoff - who badly let down Fletcher during the World Cup and the previous Ashes series in Australia when he turned up drunk for a practice session - would also have a few problems were the 30-year-old not be able to regain full fitness to bowl.

All three of the players had played an integral role in securing England's first Ashes series triumph in 18 years in what was an epic series in England in 2005 - just over a year later England led by Flintoff were to surrender them 5-0 in Australia.

"We've seen it over and over again (with Harmison)," said Fletcher, who is now living in South African and caring for his sick wife.

"He could and should be the number one bowler in the world but he can't seem to be able to put it all together.

"I think he'll find it hard to get back in. He'll need some consistent performances to do so," added Fletcher, who has turned down two offers from South African sides to coach them.

As for Hoggard, Fletcher is hardly more encouraging.

"I was not surprised (about Hoggard being dropped during the New Zealand series which England ended up winning 2-1)," admitted 59-year-old Fletcher, who also confessed in the interview that he had spent more time watching the Six Nations and Super 14 rugby tournaments on television than the series in New Zealand.

"He always struggled when he was the main strike bowler.

"His speed has been dropping for a while.

"I heard someone saying he'd lost his nip but I thought it had gone a while ago," added Fletcher of the 31-year-old.

While Fletcher does not make any more comment on Flintoff's behaviour as he had done in his biography which included the notorious 'Fredalo' incident when he took off in the middle of the night drunk during the World Cup on a pedalo, he does warn that unless Flintoff's recurring problems with his foot don't mend then he too could have a battle to regain his test place.

"I honestly don't know (what to do with Flintoff)," said Fletcher.

"I hope his foot does allow him to bowl properly because otherwise his batting will need to improve.

"I think it has become pretty obvious he is not a Test match No6. He is a No7."